A driver gets out to sweep snow off his windows as Tuesday's traffic crawls along in Albany. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A driver gets out to sweep snow off his windows as Tuesday's...

A woman uses an umbrella to keep the snow off of her Tuesday as she walks down Livingston Avenue in Albany. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A woman uses an umbrella to keep the snow off of her Tuesday as she...

A city plow on Tuesday clears snow from Ten Broeck Street in Albany. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

A city plow on Tuesday clears snow from Ten Broeck Street in...

A car that slid off the road Tuesday blocks traffic on the ramp from Western Avenue and Schoolhouse Road to I-87 in Guilderland. ( Lori Van Buren / Times Union)

A car that slid off the road Tuesday blocks traffic on the ramp...

George Scott clears snow Tuesday in front of New York Supermarket in Albany. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

George Scott clears snow Tuesday in front of New York Supermarket...

Maintenance worker Ariel Ruiz uses a snowblower Tuesday at Carrow Real Estate Services in Albany. He said it was his fifth time clearing snow since 6 a.m., and it wasn't even noon yet. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Maintenance worker Ariel Ruiz uses a snowblower Tuesday at Carrow...

Maintenance worker Ariel Ruiz uses a snowblower Tuesday at Carrow Real Estate Services in Albany. He said it was his fifth time clearing snow since 6 a.m., and it wasn't even noon yet. (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Maintenance worker Ariel Ruiz uses a snowblower Tuesday at Carrow...

A motorist scrapes the windshield Tuesday as he waits for a red light on Route 9 in Colonie. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Toni Vidal of Albany drags a full shopping cart though the snow as she stocks up on groceries for the ongoing snowstorms at Price Chopper on Delaware Avenue in Albany Tuesday afternoon February 1, 2011. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Toni Vidal of Albany drags a full shopping cart though the snow as...

Ground crews de-ice an airliner as snowplows keep runways clear during the morning's snowstorm at Albany International Airport in Colonie Tuesday February 1, 2011. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

But that will seem like a dusting by Wednesday morning, which meteorologists warn could bring the most dangerous driving conditions of the winter. After starting about 2 a.m., snow could fall at 2 inches per hour from 6 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Frugis said.

"It's going to definitely be some heavy snow, and falling at a high rate," Frugis said. "It will be difficult to see."

On Tuesday, the flakes fell strongly in the morning and early afternoon before tapering off in the evening. The weather service expected a second round of snow to start at around 2 a.m. Wednesday. The rebound storm was predicted to dump 8 to 16 additional inches on the region through the afternoon, bringing totals from the two days to as much as 2 feet, Frugis said.

The Hilltowns and western Albany County were expected to be hit hardest.

Tuesday's snowfall brought the season's total to 52.8 inches. Wednesday's weather will likely push it past the full season average of 62.3 inches, weather forecasters said.

That promise had schools, shopping centers and employers -- even the city of Albany -- making preemptive plans to close on Wednesday.

Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings ordered all city buildings closed Wednesday and urged everyone to stay home. Only essential city personnel -- fire, police, Department of General Services and water department -- will be required to work.

Buildings will reopen Thursday, Jennings said.

He said he could only remember one other time in his 17 years as mayor when he had to close city buildings in anticipation of a storm.

Albany, East Greenbush, Colonie, Saratoga Springs and several other communities declared snow emergencies that will limit street parking to allow plows more room to clear streets. Clifton Park Town Court postponed Wednesday's proceedings. Most are rescheduled for Feb. 9.

Tuesday's snow led to countless vehicle accidents on the region's roads and highways. By 4 p.m., a total of 47 arriving flights and 38 departing flights were canceled at Albany International Airport, and officials reported a significant number of cancellations for Wednesday. The snowstorm created chain-reaction problems around the country as snowbound planes were unable to take off in the storm's path.

Amtrak said it would operate on a snow schedule on Wednesday, which essentially means reduced service. Passengers from canceled trains will be accommodated on other trains.

The more than 5 inches that meteorologists said fell around the Albany airport complicated commutes. National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Wasula said it took his colleagues as long as an hour and a half to get from homes in Rotterdam and Troy to the organization's University at Albany office. Police reported a slew of snow-related fender-benders and cars slipping off the road.

"I think it's just because if you were headed to work for 9 o'clock, it was just a nightmare out there," Wasula said. "It was falling at the time when there's a lot of traffic out there."

Many schools did not close for Tuesday's storm, which may have contributed to some of the delays on the roads.

Wasula said he could count about a half-dozen snow storms since the day after Christmas, which has been a snowier trend than usual. He attributed the rash of storms to a "very active jet stream," which moves storms along the East Coast. He said temperatures have been colder than usual. Wednesday's high is expected to reach 27 degrees.

"Once or twice every 10 years we get this run of storms," Wasula said. "It's not uncommon."

Average snowfall for February in the area is 12.7 inches, he said, an amount that could fall on Wednesday alone.

The region will get a break Thursday and Friday, but a few more inches of snow could fall by Saturday.

Reach Dayelin Roman at 454-5350 or droman@timesunion.com

Snow emergencies

Albany: Snow emergency starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday. All vehicles must park on the even side of roadways during the first 24 hours, then be moved to odd-numbered sides by 8 p.m. Thursday.

Amsterdam: Parking banned on city streets until noon Friday.

Cohoes: From 7 a.m. Wednesday until 7 a.m. Thursday, no parking on the even side of the street. From 7 a.m. Thursday until 7 a.m. Friday, no parking on the odd side. Violators subject to ticketing and towing. The fire department encourages all residents to shovel nearby hydrants.

Coeymans: Parking banned on town roads until 8 a.m. Thursday.

Colonie: No parking on town roads until noon Thursday. Trash pickup in the Maplewood neighborhood delayed from Wednesday to Thursday.

Columbia County: Snow emergency declared for 3 a.m. Wednesday through 3 a.m. Friday. The public is asked to limit travel.

East Greenbush: Vehicles banned from parking on public streets until the storm is over and roads are clear.

Hoosick Falls: Vehicles in the village must be parked on even-numbered side of streets from 6 a.m. to noon Thursday, and on odd-numbered streets from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday.

Ravena: Parking banned on village roads until 8 a.m. Thursday.

Rensselaer: Beginning 8 a.m. Wednesday, parking banned on the even side of the street until 8 a.m. Thursday and prohibited on the odd side of the street from 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 a.m. Friday. Thursday's trash pickup is delayed to Friday.

Rotterdam: All vehicles must be removed from town roads from midnight Wednesday through 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Saratoga Springs: Vehicles must be move to a plowed or cleared area. Cars must be moved every 12 hours at 9 o'clock until 9 p.m. Monday.

Schenectady: District 5 trash collection moved to Thursday, District 1 to Friday and a special collection for District 2 on Saturday. Normal service resumes Monday.

Troy: Mayor Harry Tutunjian called a voluntary snow emergency because of lack of resources to tow cars. Drivers should park on the even side of the street beginning 8 a.m. Thursday and odd side starting 8 a.m. Friday.